


The Boggart

by Nanineye



Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boggart, Crossover, Gen, Slytherin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 09:41:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18050132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanineye/pseuds/Nanineye
Summary: Artemis Fowl the Second fell through a crack in the fabric of space and time (on purpose, of course) and managed to get accepted into Hogwarts in spite of his lack of magical talent. In Defense Against the Dark Arts class, he faces a Boggart, and things get a little out of hand.





	The Boggart

Artemis folded his hands behind his back, waiting for the professor’s answer.

“You do realize that you might be expected to deal with Boggarts in your final exam, do you?” Professor Lupin asked.

“I highly doubt I have any chance of getting a passing grade anyway, Sir.”

“Still…”

Lupin looked his student over. His appearance was as impeccable as always – green and black uniform perfectly ironed, hair expertly styled – but his eyes were troubled, an anomaly in his usually nonchalant attitude.

“Very well,” he gave in, unwilling to drag this conversation on much longer, not with the other students waiting and snickering away about their altercation. “You can go. However,” he added when the boy turned to leave, “I expect to see you this afternoon for private tutoring. You have a free period right after lunch, is that right?”

The boy frowned, but nodded and left. Professor Lupin knew very well that, if the boy did not want to come, he would conveniently disappear, and there was nothing he could do about it.

 

Artemis Fowl entered his deserted common room, sitting at one of the tables. He had two hours to kill before lunchtime, and decided to continue writing his new sonata – it was so much easier when the others weren’t there to bother him. He was Slytherin, granted, but not as Slytherin as them, they believed. Ambition he had; it was magical prowess which he clearly lacked. And even if he knew perfectly well why he was not able to cast the merest spell, it was hard to not feel insulted by the mutters of ‘Squib’ wherever he went. The support of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore did not help in the least: he was not much respected among Slytherins, and his encouragements were lukewarm at best. Artemis felt that, to the elderly man, he was _too much_ of a Slytherin: Albus Dumbledore watched him with worry in his eyes, seeing another young Slytherin in his place.

Artemis tapped his pencil on his incomplete music sheet. It was very unlike him to get distracted. Professor Lupin had really thrown him off. Making him face a Boggart, in a private tutoring session… He could not afford to think too much about it. Snapping out of his reverie, Artemis Fowl the Second firmly decided he would not go, and turned back to his work.

 

It was with a great deal of surprise that Professor Remus Lupin opened his door to a disgruntled Artemis. He nonetheless let him in, and invited him to sit across from him.

“Now,” he asked, “may I know why you refused to face the Boggart this morning?”

The boy frowned, but said nothing.

“Oh, I can guess. You can’t afford to look weak in front of the others, is that it? But you know, fear is not-”

“No, Sir. That is not it.”

“Then… Why?”

The boy stayed resolutely silent, glaring at the window.

“I still want you to face a Boggart, understand? I know that your skills are… limited. But Boggarts can be defeated without magic! It is a matter of mental strength, and-”

“I do know that, Sir. I understand the theory.”

“Good. Then get your wand out, Mister Fowl. I transferred the Boggart to this wardrobe right here.”

Artemis visibly paled, casting a look towards the door. Lupin examined him carefully, trying to understand him.

“You do understand that this is just a Boggart, right? You don’t have to fear it. It is harmless, and I am right here.”

Sharp nod.

“Are you willing to try it, then? If not, we can talk about it, do it another day…”

“It wouldn’t help,” muttered the boy. “I… very well.”

“I am going to open the wardrobe,” announced the Professor, getting up and moving towards the door handle. “You are going to try and use the spell. If it does not work, you will step back and I will intervene. Understood?”

“Yes,” he answered, teeth clenched. “Again, I do understand the theory.”

Lupin checked one last time that his student was ready – standing solidly on his two feet, wand in his hand, eyes determined – and opened the door.

He did not immediately understand. What stepped out of the wardrobe was an imitation of Artemis himself, in his Hogwarts robes, wand in hand. The air around him looked fuzzy, colours shifting slightly. His expression was not completely determined, jumping swiftly between bewilderment, contempt, and wonder, as if he had not yet decided what emotion he felt.

Artemis had frozen in place as soon as he saw his alter ego, mouth opened as if to pronounce the spell, but silent.

“Artemis,” Lupin encouraged. “Try to face it.”

The student glanced at him, still mute, eyes imploring his help. Lupin moved right behind him, and put his hand on his shoulder, reassuring. The Boggart was completely motionless, watching the pair of them.

He had the same cold eyes and haughty look, but seemed way calmer. His gaze was piercing, and not darting all over the place, trying to take everything in, like Artemis frequently did. He stood taller, chin raised, looking down upon the world. This was an Artemis which had already won.

Anger finally settled on his face, and the air darkened around him.

“You saw, and you did nothing” he reproached suddenly. “We deserve answers, respect. Since when is Artemis Fowl the Second a powerless little onlooker?”

Professor Lupin decided this was enough. Whatever Artemis’ fear was, it was clearly overwhelming him. It was time to stop his madness, let him rest, and then discuss this calmly and try to find solutions.

However, as soon as he raised his wand, it flew out of his hand, falling to the ground.

The creature looked at him with an innocent smile.

“Everything all right, _Professor_?”

Then he started changing again. He stopped looking angry, and cast a thoughtful look around him. The light refracted strangely, forming fleeting symbols, complex runes, sophisticated figures, dancing around him. The dropped wand shattered to pieces as he looked at it. Lupin felt incapable of moving, without really knowing why.

“See that?” said the thing to the terrified boy. “It actually works. Energy conversion is feasible.”

He started to distractedly play with one of the shimmering symbols, gently poking it with his forefinger.

“And now everything is possible,” he sighed softly.

He was looking more normal now – adapting to Artemis’ reactions, trying to become as scary as possible, Lupin understood.

Boggart-Artemis’ eyes grew pensive, and he let his hand fall to his side.

“You know what he is planning. The Headmaster.”

“Yes,” answered Artemis.

“You know how to stop him. How to stop it all.”

“Yes.”

There was some kind of relief in the boy’s voice, a twisted sense of comfort. At last, at long last, someone that could understand, someone with whom he did not need to lie, to wear a mask, to tip-toe gently. This was not a person he could scare away with his wits. But again, it was not really a person.

“Yes, you bow to the rules,” the Boggart mused.

He turned back to playing with his glowing runes. His appearance was stable, at last, and he looked very much like the original Artemis.

“No, no,” sighed Boggart-Artemis while moving around another symbol. “Not the same – can’t you see?”

Lupin’s jaws unclenched, and he found he could speak again.

“Mister Fowl, please call for-”

The creature shut him up with a negligent wave.

“You don’t understand. _I am_ Artemis. But not exactly. I am another… possibility.”

“He is a monster,” whispered the trembling student.

“Yes. But I am also the righteous one here. The selfless one.”

“Selfless-!”

“Willingly becoming a monster, albeit a powerful one, is selfless. _You_ make little lies, trying to nudge people in the direction you want, gently nursing the world to good health, when you know there are better solutions, when you know that drastic measures are necessary.”

He fell silent. Arguing with himself was not necessary. All he had to do was saying Artemis’ fears out loud, and watching him crumble slowly.

The thing rearranged the patterns of runes around him one last time, before checking it over with a proud grin. Artemis barely glanced up at it, but severely flinched, as if the symbols had slapped him.

“But you can’t…”

“Ah, it has been a while since you had an intelligent discussion. You deserve better. Of course I can, and I have to. You know that. I am a sliver of your imagination, after all – where do you think I get my ideas?”

With a smile, the thing watched the complex formula come to life, glowing even more strongly, then disappearing with a flash. Remus Lupin felt a sudden pang of pain in his chest, but could not even move to look down.

“Sorry, Professor,” the creature said. “Please know that I would not do this if it weren’t absolutely necessary… You really are a good man. But believe me, it is less painful like so. Still… Sorry.”

He did look sorry.

Lupin’s vision was getting blurry now, the edges of his field of view disappearing gradually. Still unable to control his movements, he fell clumsily to the ground, on the edge of fainting.

He barely saw the door open, and Professor McGonagall peering into the classroom. He tried to tell her something – anything – but failed, and watched in despair as a dew students in blue ties gathered behind her, curious as to what was happening.

“Fowl, what is… Why are there two of you? Professor Lupin, what…?”

A blonde head shoved past her unceremoniously, and walked calmly towards the shaking Artemis.

“Hey, Arty. Who is your friend?”

The creature raised an eyebrow, a tad miffed.

“I am Artemis as well,” he said. “And I am currently killing a few dozens of people for the good of this world.”

The girl ignored him, and tapped on Artemis’ arm, trying to get his attention.

“If I had known you were going to summon your demon twin, I would have given this to you sooner… Gimme your hand. Your hand.”

She took his hand by force, and slipped a small packet into it. He mechanically looked, and discovered a little bag full of blue leaves.

“I know you like tea,” she smiled, “and this colour really made me think about your eyes. If you like it, I’ll give you more.”

The creature was growing impatient.

“Don’t you understand? I am-”

“Oh, no, I understand, mister the demon. You are overriding the security protocols and rewriting the timeline.”

“Oh? You see.”

“Yes. It makes the Rettie afraid, you know?”

“The Rettie? There is no such-”

“Yes there is. And you make them scared. Artemis,” she added, turning back to her friend, “would you mind making him stop?”

“I can’t,” he whispered. “He is me…”

“Silly, silly Artemis. He was never you. Don’t you see? The mere fact that you fear him proves that you are not like him.”

Artemis’ eyes widened suddenly. The Boggart set his jaw, and looked straight at her.

“You are smarter than you look.”

“Not really. I just have good eyes.”

“You are right, still. Look at that, he’s getting confident again,” he remarked. “Such a shame… I’m leaving then – no point in staying here, he would end up banishing me. Ah, I did like existing, though. See you around.”

With a small smile, he waved a quick goodbye and faded into nothingness.

Everything unfroze. Professor Lupin started wheezing on the floor, and Professor McGonagall closed the door in her students’ faces before rushing to his aid. Luna Lovegood had helped Artemis into a chair, and was making tea with the blue leaves she gave him, gently whispering to him that they were really good at calming the nerves.

Albus Dumbledore himself came in, sounding a bit out of breath. Behind him, dozens of students tried to see what was going on inside, but he promptly shut the door.

“What happened here?” he asked, almost calmly.

He cast a worried glance towards Artemis, and the boy flinched.

“You bring bad spirits, Professor,” muttered Luna, not taking the eyes off her tea.

“Pardon, Miss Lovegood?”

She set a cup of steaming tea on the desk before Artemis, then took another three to the professors.

“Bad spirits, Professor. Have you been exposed to Nargles recently? They might have tampered with your eyes. They do that. They give you hallucinations, then scramble with your thoughts until your brain leaks out of your ears.”

The Headmaster accepted the cup of tea, and looked over Luna, thoughtful.

“Ten points to Ravenclaw,” he decided. “But please refrain from using that tone in the future.”

“Oh, of course, Sir! I am being silly, that is all. How do you like the tea?”

He sipped slowly, and smiled.

“It has been a long time since I last tasted Rassian tea. Delightful.”

“Thank you!”

She went back to comforting Artemis, monologuing about Rassian tea and Nargles, and how he really should visit her more often. Albus Dumbledore watched over them, lost in thought. The Fowl boy… Was that the answer? Friends? The Headmaster sighed. He was really getting old. He should not have needed decades to consider such a simple solution. With a glance at the two Professors, recovering from their shock, he left, tea cup in hand, to send the other students back to their respective classrooms.

**Author's Note:**

> Luna is perhaps a bit ooc, and the resolution might feel a bit anticlimactic... Any constructive criticism is welcome, I will try to get it better next time :-)


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